Last month, we reported on smoldering rumors that legendarily loquacious news anchor and fallen Hispanic hero Rick Sanchez was joining local Spanish-language channel Mega TV. Those rumors burst into flame days later when he revealed he would announce football games this fall for Florida International University.
Well, things turned into a four-alarm fire today when Riptide obtained exclusive photos of Sanchez meeting top Mega TV executives here in Miami.
Holy sh*t! Slick Rick is back!
The move to Mega would be a departure from Sanchez's prior gig at CNN. But, in a way, it would suit the gloriously gaff-prone news anchor.
Like most Miamians, we've got a bit of history with Sanchez, who was born and raised in Hialeah.
We awarded Rick with "Best Departure" in 2001 when he left local station WSVN-7, where he was famous for squatting over floor maps during the Gulf War. Of course, Rick went on to the big time on CNN, where he hosted his own show, Rick's List, and appeared frequently on Anderson Cooper 360. Sanchez lost his CNN job last year, however, after calling Jon Stewart a "bigot" and making some controversial comments about Jews in the media.
Mega TV, meanwhile, is a similar combination of silly and serious. It's home to bisexual novelist/ Peruvian presidential candidate Jaime Bayly's talk show, as well as a bevy of telenovelas about sexy gypsies, shirtless soldiers, and the horses they ride on.
Reports of a chupacabra sighting @ Mega TV greatly exaggerated. Truth's scarier: Was Rick Sanchez, receiving hero's welcome & reported job"
We know that Rick, who broadcasts his every unemployed movement on his own Twitter account, was in town at the time. Days later, he wrote:
Now these pictures show Sanchez meeting Wednesday afternoon with top Mega TV executives at La Esquina del Lechon restaurant in Doral.
Oh, the possibilities! What would his new show be called? Rick's Road to Redemption? Tweeting con Sanchez? Or perhaps a more ribald title to woo the ladies, like Sanchez Super Sucio?
And does this mean that the thing with Gloria and Emilio Estefan is off?
If Sanchez does land at Mega, it's likely that he'd take over the 8 p.m. Monday-Friday spot that, until recently, belonged to Maria Elvira's Maria Elvira Live.
Below are more photos from Sanchez's meeting with Mega TV chief revenue officer Albert Rodriguez and VP of Programming Jose R. Perez.
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